Sprinkler head



United States Patent 3,336,984 SPRINKLER HEAD Bruce J. Macartney, Chatham, N.J., assignor to The Fyr-Fyter Company, New York, N.Y. Filed Sept. 13, 1965, Ser. No. 487,012 10 Claims. (Cl. 169-38) The present invention relates to an improved sprinkler head for automatic fire extinguishing systems.

The sprinkler system may be used to discharge water or other suitable fire extinguishing fluid supplied to the sprinkler head through a piping system.

It is important that the sprinkler head be dependable in operation even though it may be in position for many years prior to its use. Inasmuch as it is impractical to remove the sprinkler head for testing after its installation, it is necessary that the sprinkler head be quite rugged so as to withstand rough handling before and during installation, and while in use.

Difliculty has been had with prior sprinkler heads because the construction has been such that the heat produced by a fire has been conducted away from the fusible elements at a rapid rate thus tending to make the sprinkler heads slow in operation. Other prior sprinkler heads have been subject to the deleterious effects of corrosion. Still other prior sprinkler heads have utilized constructions in which the fusible members are stressed in shear thereby inherently making it difficult to achieve stable operating characteristics. In other cases the construction has been such that changes in the operating charactertistics have resulted because of cold flow of the fusible metal under uneven compression.

The present invention is an improvement over the construction shown in my Patent No. 3,161,236 issued Dec. 15, 1964.

The present invention aims to provide a sprinkler head in which the compressive stress applied to the fusible member is more evenly applied than has been the case for prior constructions.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a sprinkler head in which the valve member is held against its seat by a lever arrangement. The lever is secured by a fusible element in compression and having a large contact area for the force applied. By simple means the pulling force of the lever is converted to an evenly distributed compressive force on the fusible element.

The construction is advantageous in that the sprinkler head may be tested while installed to ascertain the amount of pressure urging the valve member against its seat.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sprinkler head which is simple and economical in manufacture, which may be accurately and dependably adjusted, and which is rugged in use.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of a sprinkler head in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view of a portion of FIG- URE 2 showing a modification of the construction in accordance with the invention.

FIGURES 4 and 5 are respectively side and top views of a holding member for the sprinkler head.

FIGURES 6 and 7 are respectively front and side views of a strut member for the sprinkler head.

FIGURE 8 is a front View of a lever member for the sprinkler head before being formed.

FIGURE 9 is a side view of the lever member shown in FIGURE 8 after it has been formed.

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged sectional view of a fusible element for the sprinkler head.

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary sectional view corresponding to FIGURE 2 of a somewhat modified sprinkler head.

FIGURE 12 is a view corresponding to FIGURE 11 of a further modified sprinkler head.

FIGURE 13 is a front view of the sprinkler head shown in FIGURE 12.

FIGURE 14 is a view corresponding to FIGURE 11 of a still further modified sprinkler head.

Referring to the drawings, the sprinkler head 1 includes a body member 2 having a passageway 3 extending there through, the end of the passageway 3 forming a combination nozzle and valve seat 4. A valve member 5 closes the passage through the nozzle 4. Upwardly extending from the body member 2 is a frame 6 carrying at its upper end a deflector head or spreader 7.

The valve member 5 is held on its seat 4 by a thermally collapsible assembly 9 including a strut member 10, a lever member 11, holding means or key 12 and a fusible element 14. A gasket 15 is interposed between the valve member 5 and its seat 4. The top of the valve member 5 is grooved to form a bearing surface 16.

At the upper end of the frame 6 is a collar 17 having a threaded opening therethrough to receive a screw or an adjustably set member 19 having a threaded outer surface and provided with a bearing surface 20 at its lower end. The thermally collapsible assembly 9 is maintained in position between the bearing surfaces 16 and 20.

The body member 2 is threaded at one end as indicated at 21 in order that the sprinkler head 1 may be secured in the outlet of a conventional fire extinguishing piping system not shown. The frame 6 and the collar 17 may be made integrally with the body member 2 in a cast or forged construction or otherwise as is well known in the art. The frame 6 should be of ample strength so that the valve member 5 is held on its seat 4 with the desired amount of contact pressure without undue distortion of the frame 6.

The deflector head 7 is conventional and is secured in position by the turning over of the upper end of the collar 17 as indicated at 25. If desired the collar 17 and the screw 19 may be apertured to receive a pin or rivet or peened as indicated at 26 to maintain the screw in the desired set position. The upper end of the screw 19 is apertured and formed as indicated at 27 to receive a standard tool to adjust the force with which the valve member 5 is urged against its seat.

The bearing surface 20 is preferably generally cone shaped with a rounded tip providing ample bearing area. The strut member 10 is preferably made of a straight flat piece of material of adequate strength to hold the valve member 5 against its seat 4. The strut member 10 has its upper end 30 and its lower end 31 rounded to provide pivotable supporting surfaces, the upper end 30 of the strut member 10 forming a fulcrum for the lever 11. The strut member 10 has an opening 32 adjacent the lower portion thereof, with a projection 34 extending downwardly therein from its upper portion. Wall 35 at the bottom of the opening 32 is fiat.

The lever member 11 shown in detail in FIGURES 8 and 9 may be formed from a piece of flat stock having a lower end or arm 36 andan upper end. 37. The upper end 37 is turned approximately at right angles to its body 39. In the upper end 37 are formed a plurality of projections 38a, 38b and 38c of generally hemispherical shape made by deforming the metal of the upper end 37. The projection 38a is placed in the center of the upper end 37 adjacent its edge. The projections 38b and 380 are positioned side by side and located inwardly of the projection 38a, a space 40 being provided to receive the rounded end 30 of the strut member 10. Depression 41'on the opposite side of the end 37 from the projection 38a is adapted to receive the end of the rounded bearing surface 20. The spacing between the bottom of the depression 41 and the center of the space 40 provides a short lever arm while the spacing between the depression 41 and the end of the arm 36 provides a long lever arm.

The holding member or key 12 in FIGURES 4 and is formed with an aperture 42 adjacent one end acting as holding means to receive the arm 36 of the lever member 11. The length of the aperture 42 is somewhat greater than the thickness of the lever member 11 for a purpose which will be hereinafter explained. At the opposite end of the holding member 12 from the aperture 42 is a downwardly depending means such as a projection 44 centrally positioned along the longitudinal axis of the holding member 12. Both ends-of the holding member 12 may be rounded as indicated at 45.

The fusible element 14 shown in detail in FIGURE includes a generally cup-shaped base member 46 having a flattened bottom surface 47. The upper end of the base member 46 is closed by a piston member 49 which seats on a mass of fusible material 50. The upper edge of the base member 46 is turned inwardly as indicated at 51 over edges 52 of the piston member 49 to provide a hermetically sealed construction.

The fusible material 50 is well known in the art and may be made of metal alloys or chemical materials normally solid and liquefiable at a desired temperature, for example, at 160 degrees F. Such materials are not limited to but may include solder, dichlorobenzene, benzyl disulfide, or cobalt nitrate. The fusible material 50 is confined in the cavity of the base member 46 and thus is not subjected to shearing stress. The edges 52 of the piston member 49 are spaced from the inner surface of the side walls of the base member 46 so as to provide a clearance of approximately .05 to .08 inch in order that the fusible material 50 may pass through this space when fused. The construction of the fusible element 14 so far disclosed is well known in the art.

The piston member 49 is provided with an extension 54 having a cup-shaped depression 55 to receive the projection 34 of the strut member 10. Alternatively, a construction mightbe used in which the extension 54 is pointed and the projection 34 is enlarged and a cupshaped depression is provided therein, both constructions forming pivotable bearing means for the fusible element 14 with respect to the strut member 10.

In the assembly of the sprinkler head 1 the parts are arranged as illustrated and the screw 19 is adjusted to move the bearing surface downwardly to hold the assembly 9 in position and to hold the valve member 5 and its gasket 15 against the seat 4. As previously stated the opening 42 of the holding member 12 is made somewhat longer than the thickness of the extension 36 of the lever member 11. By applying a pressure gauge to the end of the extension 36 so as to move the lever member 11 inwardly by the amount provided. by the opening 42 a proportionate measure is had of the pressure with which the valve member 5 is held against its seat. This means of testing the pressure with which the valve member 5 is seated may also be used while the sprinkler head is installed on a piping system. The screw 19 is adjusted to provide the desired seat pressure whereupon it is peened as indicated at 26.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 3 a somewhat modified construction is used in which like numerals are employed as for the embodiment shown in the previous figures. The construction of FIGURE 3 differs only in the deforming of the surface 35a so that the bearing point of the projection 44 is slightly further to the right for a purpose as will be explained hereafter in the description of the operation of the sprinkler head.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 11 a somewhat modified construction is used in which like numerals are employed. In the sprinkler head 56 the holding member 12a is formed as an extension of end 57 of the lever member 11a. In fabricating this construction it is desirable to formulate angle 59 somewhat less than so that there is a tendency for holding member 12a to swing upwardly upon the collapse of the fusible element 14 so as to provide clearance with the surface 35b of the strut member 10. Alternatively, if desired, in the construction of FIGURE 11 the strut member 10 of FIGURE 3 may be used having the offset deformed portion 35a.

In FIGURES 12 and 13 there is shown a further modified sprinkler head 60 in which the holding member 12 is shown as in FIGURES 4 and 5. The valve member 5 is formed with its grooved bearing surface 16 adapted to receive the projection 44 of the holding or key member 12. For convenience of assembly, the valve member 5 may have its depression centered in its upper surface. Further in this embodiment the strut 10a (FIGURE 13) is somewhat modified so as to have bifurcated ends 31a and 31b engaging in cooperating grooves 16a and 16b of the valve member 5. Alternatively an upwardly extending projection 62 may be made on the valve member 5 for the support of the holding member 12 modified as shown in FIGURE 14. Obviously the construction of this embodiment might also be modified to incorporate the teaching of FIGURE 11 wherein the holding member 12 is made as an extension of the lever 11.

In FIGURE 14 there is shown a still further modified sprinkler head 64- in which the valve member 5 is provided with an upwardly extending projection 65 which may be centered in its upper surface for convenience of assembly. The holding or key member 12b is provided with an aperture 66 in lieu of the projection 44 of FIG- URES 4 and 5. The aperture 66 is adapted to receive the upwardly extending projection 65 of the valve member 5. This construction may use the bifurcated strut member 11a of FIGURES 12 and 13. However the construction of the sprinkler head 64 may also be modified in accordance with the teaching of FIGURE 10 so that the holding member 12 is made as an extension of the lever member 11. A further modification in accordance with the teaching of FIGURE 14 would utilize the holding or key member 12b of FIGURE 14 with its aperture 66 utilized in a construction in accordance with FIGURES 1, 2, 3 or 11 and in which the fiattened surface 35 and 35b is provided with an upwardly extending projection adapted to fit into the aperture 66 of the holding member 12b.

The operation of all of the embodiments is similar. The lever 11 fulcrums by'contact of its bearing surface 40 with the end 30 of the strut member 10. The depression 41 of the lever member 11 is contacted by the hearing surface 20. The arm 36 of the lever member 11 is held inwardly by tension on the holding or key member 12. The downwardly depending projection 44 of the key member 12 bears against an abutment so that the tension force of the lever 11 applied to the key member 12 converts the pulling force into a compressive force acting against the bottom of the fusible element 14. Upon the melting of the fusible material 50 the piston member 49 moves downwardly into the fusible material 50 thereby allowing the lever arm 36 to pull the key member 12 out of its jammed position so that the thermally collapsible assembly 9 collapses allowing pressure of the fire extinguishing fluid to unseat the valve member 5 and move it out of position. The fire extinguishing fluid then impinges against the deflector 7.

It will be noted that in the constructions of the various embodiments the compressive force is applied at, or approximately at, the center line of the fusible element 14. Thus the fusible material 50 is under even compression by its piston member 49.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 and 4 through 10. In this construction the strut member 10 is flat and thus the compressive force on the fusible element 14 is slightly at one side of the center line thereof by a few thousandths of an inch. In a practical construction the strut member is .064 inch in thickness. The compressive force is thus .032 inch off the center line. It has been found unnecessary in a practical construction to incorporate the offset 35a of FIGURE 3. Tests under elevated temperature conditions made by the Board of Fire Underwriters have indicated that the fusible member is substantially free from forces of a magnitude as might cause cold flow of the fusible material.

From the preceding description it will be seen that the present invention provides a sprinkler head utilizing a fusible element in compression and in which a construction is used so that the pulling force of the lever is converted to an evenly distributed compressive force on the fusible element.

While the invention has been described and illustrated with reference to specific embodiments thereof it will be understood that other embodiments may be resorted to without departing from the invention. Therefore, the form of the invention set out above should be considered as illustrative and not as limiting the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a sprinkler head comprising a body member having a passage therethrough terminating in a nozzle, the outer end of the nozzle defining a valve seat, a deflector member, a frame extending from the body member and supporting the deflector member in a position axially of the nozzle and in spaced relationship therewith, a valve member seated on the valve seat and releasably closing the passage, means forming a bearing surface carried by the valve member outwardly of its seating surface, an adjustably set member extending inwardly from the frame inwardly of the deflector member, means forming a second bearing surface carried by said adjustably set member, a strut member bearing at one end against one of said bearing surfaces, a lever member interposed between the strut member and the other of said bearing surfaces, the lever member fulcruming on the strut member thereby urging the strut member against one of the bearing surfaces responsive to the setting of the adjustable member, a fusible element, means supporting the fusible element on its sides and one end, piston means abutting the other end of the fusible element and adapted to move into the fusible element upon its melting, holding means for the lever member, the supporting means and the piston for the fusible element interposed between the strut member and the holding means so that upon the melting of the fusible member the valve member is released from its seat,

abutment means positioned generally axially of said piston, and wedging means cooperative between the holding means and the abutment means, the wedging means positioned on the one side of the holding means away from the means supporting the fusible element on its sides and one end, the contacting surfaces of the other side of the holding means and the means supporting the fusible element on its sides and ends being substantially flat, the wedging means coacting with the abutment means for converting a pulling force acting on the holding member parallel to the plane thereof by the lever member into a compressive force transmitted evenly through the fusible element against the face of the piston member.

2. A sprinkler head according to claim 1 in which said means supporting the fusible element on its sides and one end is a cup-shaped cylindrical member.

3. A sprinkler head according to claim 1 in which said holding means is an apertured member and said lever member engages the wall of the aperture of said holding member.

4. A sprinkler head according to claim 1 in which said holding means for the lever member is made in a onepiece construction with said lever member.

5. A sprinkler head according to claim 1 in which said abutment means is a wall of an opening in said strut member.

6. A sprinkler head according to claim 1 in which said abutment means is a wall of a groove forming said bearing surface carried by said valve member.

7. A sprinkler head according to claim 1 in which said holding member is apertured, and said abutment means is the wall of the aperture in said holding member.

8. A sprinkler head according to claim 1 in which said wedging means is a projection extending from said holding member.

9. A sprinkler head according to claim 1 in which said wedging means is a projection extending from said valve member.

10. A sprinkler head according to claim 1 in which said means supporting the fusible element on its sides and one end is a cup-shaped cylindrical member, said holding means is an apertured member and said lever member engages the wall of the aperture of the holding member, said abutment means is a wall of an opening on said strut member, and said wedging means is a projection extending from said holding member.

No references cited.

EVERETT W. KIRBY, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A SPRINKLER HEAD COMPRISING A BODY MEMBER HAVING A PASSAGE THERETHROUGH TERMINATING IN A NOZZLE, THE OUTER END OF THE NOZZLE DEFINING A VALVE SEAT, A DEFLECTOR MEMBER, A FRAME EXTENDING FROM THE BODY MEMBER AND SUPPORTING THE DEFLECTOR MEMBER IN A POSITION AXIALLY OF THE NOZZLE AND IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP THEREWITH, A VALVE MEMBER SEATED ON THE VALVE SEAT AND RELEASABLY CLOSING THE PASSAGE, MEANS FORMING A BEARING SURFACE CARRIED BY THE VALVE MEMBER OUTWARDLY OF ITS SEATING SURFACE, AN ADJUSTABLY SET MEMBER EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM THE FRAME INWARDLY OF THE DEFLECTOR MEMBER, MEANS FORMING A SECOND BEARING SURFACE CARRIED BY SAID ADJUSTABLY SET MEMBER, A STRUT MEMBER BEARING AT ONE END AGAINST ONE OF SAID BEARING SURFACES, A LEVER MEMBER INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE STRUT MEMBER AND THE OTHER OF SAID BEARING SURFACES, THE LEVER MEMBER FULCRUMING ON THE STRUT MEMBER THEREBY URGING THE STRUT MEMBER AGAINST ONE OF THE BEARING SURFACES RESPONSIVE TO THE SETTING OF THE ADJUSTABLE MEMBER, A FUSIBLE ELEMENT, MEANS SUPPORTING THE FUSIBLE ELEMENT ON ITS SIDES AND ONE END, PISTON MEANS ABUTTING THE OTHER END OF THE FUSIBLE ELEMENT AND ADAPTED TO MOVE INTO THE FUSIBLE ELEMENT UPON ITS MELTING, HOLDING MEANS FOR THE LEVER MEMBER, THE SUPPORTING MEANS AND THE PISTON FOR 